Lesser known facts about- “The Elephant Whisperers"
The short documentary film "The Elephant Whispers" from India won an Oscar in the category of Best Documentary Short Film at the 95th Oscar Awards.
Kartiki Gonsalves, the skilled director of the film, received the award and attributed the win to her homeland of India. Documentary films from India have been gaining significant recognition among global viewers. Winning the "Best Documentary Short Subject" Oscar award for The Elephant Whisperers could be a breakthrough moment for documentary filmmaking in the country. The film was directed by Kartiki Gonsalves and produced by Guneet Monga, making it the first Indian movie to win in this fiercely competitive category. The Elephant Whisperers triumphed over other contenders such as Haulout, The Martha Mitchell Effect, and Stranger At The Gate.
Historical insight
It may be useful to gain some historical context on humanity's relationship with elephants. The domestication of elephants began over 6000 years ago during the Indus civilization in ancient India. Additionally, elephants were a significant aspect of human culture and society in the Tamil region, as demonstrated by the Sangam period literature from 100 BCE - 200 CE, including works like Tholkappiam, Ettuthogai, Pathupattu, and Tirukural.
A tale of loss
Bomman and Bellie, who were caretakers of baby elephants, had a son who suffered burns and was taken to the hospital. Unfortunately, by the time they tended to the elephants and rushed to the hospital, their son had already passed away from his injuries. The caretakers and the orphaned elephants both experienced a sense of loss, creating a common theme that connected them as they sought to fill the void left by their respective losses.
Journey was difficult
Kartiki Gonsalves spent 18 months frequently visiting Bomman, Bellie, and Raghu before beginning to film the documentary in 2017. She used her personal DSLRs and Go-Pros to film over the next five years, before bringing on board other professional camera persons and drone operators.
International Awards
The Elephant Whisperers, in addition to winning an Oscar, was also selected for the esteemed DOC NYC documentary film festival, nominated for its soundtrack at the Hollywood Music in Media Awards, and shortlisted for the Best Short Documentary award at the IDA Documentary Awards.
Numerous nature and wildlife enthusiasts are flocking to Madhumalai in TamilNadu, in the hopes of catching a glimpse of the two elephant calves that captured the hearts of many through the Oscar-winning short documentary, "The Elephant Whisperers."
